Review & Interview: Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney

Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes-Roisin Meaney
Publisher: 5 Spot
Publication Date: April 25, 2011
Source: Netgalley
Author website

Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she's too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend ...or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice's is falling apart. Her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she's figuring out what's really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.
(Goodreads)


Perhaps it's because I've been reading Maeve Binchy books since I was a teenager, and because I have a "good Irish name" (as I was told when I visited Ireland) but I've always been fond of Irish writers. A lot of the books I've read have featured the perspective of almost every character, and that's the case with Semi-Sweet. The story starts right as Hannah's boyfriend Patrick tells her he's leaving her for another woman. It's not just a story of recovering from heartbreak, but also tells the story of life in the Irish town in which Hannah, her family and their friends live. 


This is one of those books where you have a good idea how it's going to end up when you begin it, but I was happy to say that at least one romantic element took me by surprise. There's drama, romance and I really enjoyed the cozy element of Hannah's cupcake shop. If you enjoy cozy stories, then definitely pick up Semi-Sweet when it hits shelves next week. 

Semi-Sweet author Roisin Meaney is swinging by the blog today to answer a few questions!

1. Semi-Sweet is your first book to be published in the US, but you've published several books in Ireland. What excites you about being published in America?

The idea of being published in the US is tremendously exciting for me – it’s such a huge market compared to Ireland; who knows what might happen? The thought of one of my books sitting in all those great US bookstores is wonderful – and of course you have Hollywood, so I’ll be geographically closer, at least, to the coveted film deal! I’m planning a trip to New York to coincide with the publication of Semi-Sweet, so I’ll be the one with my face pressed up against the bookstore windows, trying not to look too smug!

2. You've written both adult and children's titles. Does your writing process differ between the genres?

Nope. I’m just as undisciplined in both! I write when I feel like it, go shopping when I don’t. Can’t understand how I meet my deadlines!

3. What's the biggest obstacle you face when you're writing? What brings you the most joy?

Biggest obstacle is resisting the temptation to go online every few minutes and check emails when I should be writing – needless to say, I fail every time! What gives me the most joy is when I’m writing a scene that’s going exactly right, when my fingers are flying over the keys, everyone is saying and doing the right things, and the story is moving along beautifully! Mind you, making it onto the bestseller list, as I’ve done in Ireland with my last four books, is a pretty joyous occasion too...

4. What are you reading right now?

Middle Age by Joyce Carol Oates. I’ve read a few of hers and really like them.

5. What piece of advice do you most commonly give to aspiring authors?

I tell them what I find helpful: reading a lot of books by well-respected authors. I find reading good books definitely inspires me to aim higher in my own writing.

6. Did you try out of cupcake recipes as you were writing Semi-Sweet? Which one of Hannah's creations is your favorite?

I baked to my little heart’s content, and I pored over recipes from morning to night. I love to bake anyway, so writing Semi-Sweet was total self-indulgence. I hope my love of baking comes through in the book. As to which creation is my favorite, what a tough question – I think I’d have to say the coffee-cream that a woman orders on page 84. I love anything coffee-flavored, despite the fact that I hardly ever drink coffee, much prefer tea! 

Thanks to Roisin for stopping by the blog!